[Vwdiesel] To Re-Ring Or Not To Re-Ring...

[Gerry Wolfe]

...that is the question.  I'm hoping for some advice from this group of experts.

Subject vehicle is a '91 Jetta TD (the 68hp MF version) with 286K km.  Oil changes have been frequent -- typically every 3mo with Rotella 15w40.  I've always used Stanadyne, lately mixing 50/50 with low-ash 2cycle oil.  Compression was checked around 225K km, and was 410psi on all four.  The engine burned very little oil between changes, and now uses only about 1L every 2.5K km.

Head gasket is starting to leak internally.  I am currently adding about 0.5L premix every 1.0K km.  It's getting worse, I can smell burning coolant underhood.  This has gotta be really bad for the cooling system (excessive pressure & contamination) and I don't even wanna think about the impact that antifreeze coolant would have on bearings (or would it be consumed in combustion?)

I have been given a quote of about $500Cdn for replacing the gasket.  I'm also considering re-ringing at the same time, which would add about another $500Cdn to the ticket.

Feedback requested:  How much longer to you think I could go before needing to re-ring?  A couple of years maybe?  Or would you recommend doing both even tho the rings aren't really THAT bad right now.

BTW, this will be done at a local repair shop that I have confidence in (altho a bit pricey!).  I've done this sorta work in the past, but don't have the tools and the place to do this kinda work.

advTHANKSance, g.

gjwolfe at telus.net
www3.telus.net/public/gjwolfe